Shaftless reeling machine



June 22, 1965 STONE SHAFTLESS REELING MACHINE Filed Feb. 18, 1963 5 Sheets-s l \nnnn mnmggimm.

Jaw/v R. 57am? June 22, 1965 J. R. STONE 3,190,576

SHAFTLESS REELING' MACHINE Filed Feb. 18, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 fi J INVENTOR United States Patent saaasva SHAFTLESS REELING MACHINE John R. tone, 945 S. Beaver fit, York, Pa. Filed Feb. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 259,2dll ii (Ilaiins. or. zen-es) This invention relates to a machine designed especially for handling relatively large or heavy reels of the type upon which cable of various kinds, heavy wire, and the like are coiled. It is not uncommon for reels of this type, especially when fully loaded, to weigh a number of tons. Heavy equipment therefore is required to handle the same for reeling operations both when coiling cable or wire products onto the reel as well as when uncoiling the same therefrom.

Frequently, it is desirable to coil only a portion of the wire or cable wound upon a large reel onto a smaller reel, whereby the same may be handled more readily. Machines of the type to which the present invention pertains are especially suited for operations of this type, as well as for handling reels of substantially any reasonable size incident to the same being rotated either to coil wire or cable thereonto or uncoil the same therefrom.

The present invention primarily comprises an improvement over Patent No. 2,904,273, issued September 15, 1959, in the names of R. P. Turner and J. B. Herchelroth. Said patent pertains to a shaftless reeling machine and is adapted to handle reels of relatively large size or weight. The reels are loaded into the machine as well as unloaded therefrom by the reels, when either empty or full, being rolled up a sloping ramp and over a driving roll mounted for rotation about a substantially fixed axis adjacent the floor which supports the frame of the machine. When the reel is rolled up the ramp and passes over the driving roll, it drops onto the floor surface. Especially when the reel is heavily loaded, it causes a very substantial jarring impact upon the floor with the possibility of damaging the floor. Further, considerable effort is required to roll the reel up the ramp and over the driving roll, particularly when the latter is of the order of 6 inches, more or less, in diameter and even though positioned so as to barely clear the floor while rotating.

it has been found in operation relative to the reeling machine disclosed in said patent, that where it was possible to so mount the same, it is positioned within a shallow pit, for example, whereby the upper surface of the driving roll is substantially flush with the floor surface along which a reel is rotated in order to load the same into the machine. This nevertheless causes quite a jarring impact upon the floor surface containing the shallow pit when the reel rolls off of the driving roll and hits the bottom surface of the pit, for example. The construction of such pits presents no appreciable problem when an installation is being made at ground level and particularly where the floor is supported directly by an earth foundation. However, where machines for handling reels of this type are to be mounted on floors which extend over open spaces, such as upper floors in buildings or a floor over a basement, and more particularly, where such installation is to be made in a building having a completed floor therein with no provisions for a pit having been formed therein, it frequently is either costly or impractical to form such a pit and install such machine in a structure of this type.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a shaftless reeling machine capable of handling all reasonable sizes of reels and especially heavy duty reels, either when loaded or empty, such machines being so designed as to be positionable for support upon the fiat surface of a floor, for example, and no pit construction is required in order to enable the reel to be rolled solely P I ice upon a horizontal floor surface both when loading the same into the machine and unloading it therefrom, whereby no damage is inflicted upon the floor either from jarring or otherwise during such loading and unloading operations of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shaftless reeling machine having driving and idler roll means and said machine may be loaded solely by rolling the reel into and out of the machine upon the fiat fioor surface and, in order to accomplish this and permit the reel to be mounted in operative position upon the driving and idler rolls of the reeling machine, one of said rolls is mounted so as to be moved from its normal operative transverse position between the opposite sides of the supporting frame of the machine, whereby one end of the machine may be disposed in fully open position either to receive a reel between the sides of the frame or to permit a reel to be removed therefrom as at the completion of a reeling or unreeling operation.

It is a further object of one preferred embodiment of the invention to provide a transversely extending driving roll positioned in the frame of the machine adjacent the floor surface near what is designated the closed end of the machine, which is opposite the open end thereof, and also provide means to support the idler roll means for movement toward and from the driving roll along an inclined path, while also including in the supporting means for the idler roll means mechanism by which the idler roll means may be removed readily and quickly from the operative position thereof in which said roll means extends transversely from opposite sides of the frame of the machine.

Still another object of the invention ancillary to the foregoing is to provide power means for moving the idler roll means toward and from the driving roll so as to elevate the reel from contact with the floor surface, and thus dispose it in rotatable position within the machine, or lower the same from the latter position onto the fiooor when it is desired to remove the reel from the machine by rolling the same along the floor surface.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a plurality of different embodiments of roll means which may be removed from the normal transverse positions thereof relative to the sides of the frame of the machine in order to permit reels to be freely rolled into and out of the machine on the flat floor surface and through the open end of the machine without obstruction, at least one of said embodiments being provided with means 0perable automatically to remove the roll means from transverse obstructing position, whereby manual effort to accomplish the same is not required.

Details of the foregoing objects and of the invention, as well as other objects thereof, are set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprising a part thereof.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of an exemplary reeling machine employing the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the embodiment of reeling ma chine shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of one of the roll means of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as seen on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, this figure employing a larger scale than that of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a fragmentary portion of the outer end of one side of the frame of the machine shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as seen along the line 44 of FIG. 2 and utilizing a scale similar to that employed in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an end view of the supporting bracket for one of the roll means shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 as seen on 3 the line 55 of FIG. 3 and utilizing a scale similar to that in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of another embodiment of idler roll means supported for movement toward and from the drive roll of the reeling machine otherwise shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, this embodiment employing a single roll member extending between the opposite sides of the frame and supported for removal from its normally operative transverse position by hingedly moving the outer end of the frame, to which the roll member has been moved, to a position substantially at right angles to the normal position thereof, the removed position being illustrated in broken lines in FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 is an end view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 as viewed with the roll supporting means in operative position.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side elevation of the outer end of the embodiment of reeling machine shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

FIGS. 9 and 10 respectively are fragmentary side and end elevations of suitable latch means for maintaining separable frame portions of the embodiment of machine shown in FIGS. 6 through 8 in connected relationship.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary, partially sectioned elevation of one end of the drive roll of the reeling machine which may be employed with either of the embodiments of idler roll means illustrated in the preceding figures.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary plan view of an alternate type of drive means for the threaded shafts by which the pair of idler rolls shown in the embodiment comprising FIGS. 1 through 4 are moved in unison along the sides of the frame.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated therein one embodiment of reeling machine made in accordance with the principles of the present invention and comprising a base frame 10 which, in plan view, is substantially U-shaped as shown in FIG. 2. The base frame 10 comprises a pair of parallel side frame members 12 and 14 which are clearly shown in FIG. 2, and one end of these side frame members are connected by a cross-frame member 16. Channel iron members of suitable dimension are highly appropriate for forming said side and cross-frame members. They may be connected by any suitable means such as welding. To brace the side frame members relative to the cross-frame member, appropriate, preferably fiat and thin bracing strips 18 are diagonally arranged between said members as best shown in FIG. 2, and the ends thereof are connected to the frame members appropriately, such as by welding. The lower flanges of the side and cross-frame member-s, as well as the bracing strips 18, are designed to rest flatly against a suitable supporting surface such as a floor 20.

The frame also comprises side frame means, the upper portions of which comprise a pair of sloping guide channels 22 and 24 which preferably and respectively are vertically above the side frame members 12 and 14 of the frame. The sloping guide channels 22 and 24 are supported at opposite ends by vertical frame members 26 and 23 which at their lower ends are connected to the side frame members 12 and 14 and at their upper ends to the vertical frame members 26 and 28, preferably by welding, thereby insuring a rigid frame construction comprising side frame means which are transversely spaced apart and are substantially parallel to each other for purposes of receiving therebetween any of a variety of sizes of reels 30. The reels are positioned within the frame and removed therefrom by being rolled upon the floor through the open end of the frame which is opposite that across which frame member 16 extends.

Extending between the side frame means adjacent the closed end of the frame and in the lower portion thereof, preferably between the side frame members 12 and 14, is transverse roll means 32 which, preferably, but without restriction thereto, is a driving roll. To enhance the gripping relationship between said roll and a reel engaging the same, it also is preferred that the roll 32 have an appropriate frictional external surface such as a rubber sleeve 34 securely fastened to the exterior of an internal metal sleeve 36, for example. Appropriate plugs 38 may be welded into opposite ends of the internal sleeve 36 and said plug-s have shaft extensions 40 thereon, as shown in fragmentary manner in FIG. 11. The shaft extensions 40 at opposite ends thereof extend through appropriate bearings 42 carried by the side frame members 12 and 14.

As best shown in FIG. 2, one of the shaft extensions 40 extends substantially beyond the side frame member 14 for purposes of having drive sprocket or pulley means 44 connected thereto. A suitable auxiliary frame 46 supports a housing 48 within which is mounted suitable power means, such as an electric motor 50 and a variable speed drive means 52 which are interconnected to each other appropriately. Drive sprocket or pulley means 54 are fixed to the drive shaft of the variable speed drive means 52 and are connected by suitable chain or belt means 55 to sprocket or pulley means 44 in order that the driving roll 32 may be driven at desired variable speeds by motor 56, especially for purposes of providing appropriate peripheral speed for any size of reel to be accommodated by the machine.

The machine also is provided with second roll means 56 Which, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, comprise a pair of relatively short but coaxial rolls 58 and 60. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, but without restriction thereto, the second roll means 56 comprise idler rolls. The short rolls 58 and 60 comprising the second roll means 56 respectively are mounted on appropriate cantilever-type shafts 62 which respectively project inwardly toward each other and are coaxial. The shafts 62 are mounted on carrier slides or heads 64 mounted for slidable movement along the upper surfaces of the sloping channels 22 and 24 at opposite sides of the frame 10.

The preferred type of engagement of these carrier slides 64 with the sloping channels 22 and 24 is shown in exemplary manner in FIG. 3 relative to channel 22. Projecting longitudinally from one end of each of the carrier slides 64 is an extension 66 to which a drive block 68 is connected, the same being bored longitudinally and internally threaded for purposes of receiving a threaded drive shaft 70, there being one of such drive shafts 70 mounted on each of the sloping channels 22 and 24. For supporting one end of each of the threaded drive shafts 7t), appropriate bearing blocks 72 are mounted adjacent the outer ends of the sloping channels 22 and 24. Adjacent the inner or lower ends of the latter, gear housings 74 are mounted, the same rota-tably supporting the lower ends of the drive shafts 70 and also enclosing appropriate worm and worm gear units, for example, details of which are not shown. Drive shafts 76 extend out from each of said gear housings for connection to a drive pulley 78.

Supported preferably by the closed end of the frame 10 and connected, for example, directly to the crossframe member 16, is a pair of spaced bearings 30 which rotatably support the opposite ends of .a drive shaft 82. Carried by one outer end of shaft 82 is a drive pulley 84 and a similar drive pulley 86 is fixed to the opposite end portion of shaft 82 but inwardly from driven pulley means 88 on the outer end of the shaft. One end of the shaft of motor 50 has a clutch 90 connected thereto and operable by any convenient conventional means. Mounted outwardly of said clutch is drive pulley means 92 which is controlled appropriately in operation by clutch 90. Extending between pulley means 88 and 92 are suitable drive belt means '94 through which the motor 50 drives the shaft 82 and, in turn, through the means of drive belts 96, operate in unison the gear housings 74. The gear housings 74 revolve the drive shafts 70 simultaneously for purposes of moving the carrier slides 64 in unison either toward or from the outer ends of the sloping channels 22 and 24 of the side frame means, thereby moving the roll means 56, comprising the pair of short idler rolls 58 and 60, either toward or from the drive roll 32 which is rotatable about a relatively fixed axis.

When the roll means 56 are moved toward the drive roll 32, which may be termed first roll means, and assuming a reel 30 is in position within the frame, between the side frame means thereof, the roll means 56, which may be termed second roll means, will engage the periphery of the side flanges of the reel 31) and continued movement of the second roll means 56 toward first roll means 32 will elevate the reel 30 at least slightly from engagement with the floor surface 20, as illustrated in exemplary manner in FIG. 1 in regard to several different exemplary diameters of reels 3t? and 31B. Thereafter, rotation of the drive roll 32 will serve to revolve the reel 30 or 30' in the desired direction to either coil or uncoil exemplary cable or Wire 98 onto or from the reel While the reel totally supported by the roll means 32 and 56.

In order to prevent the reel from moving appreciably in axial direction while supported upon the roll means 32 and 56, appropriate restraining means 100 are mounted upon at least one of the short rolls 5% or 60. In the exemplary embodiment, means 160 is shown mounted on roll 58. By means of a suitable set screw, for example, the position of the restraining means, which comprises somewhat of an adjustably movable locking collar, may be moved longitudinally upon the roll 58. The restrain ing means is provided with an annular channel 1112 with in which the periphery of one of the side flanges of the reel 30 is disposed. Driving rotation of the roll 32 is effected by the variable speed drive means through appropriate drive belt means 1114 extending between the pulley means 44 .and 54. Such driving operation of roll 32 takes place after the reel has been elevated as a. result of actuating drive shaft 82 to cause inward and downward movement of the roll means 56 toward the drive roll 32 for purposes of elevating the periphery of reel 30 or 31) above the surface of the floor 20.

To aid in supporting the cantilever shafts 62, especially when heavy reels 30 are to be supported by the roll means, one exemplary form of bracing means which may be used is illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5 and comprises a bracket 1116. This bracket is of heavy construction and is substantially U-shaped, having parallel side ears 108 and 111) at opposite ends thereof. The car 1 is wider than the ear 1438 and is provided with a plurality of bolt holes 112 through which bolts 114 extend in order to secure the bracket 1116 firmly to a heavy supporting plate 1-16 which is connected to one leaf of a heavy duty hinge 1 18, while the other leaf of the hinge is connected to the upper flange of carrier slide 64 as best shown in FIG. 3.

If preferred, the supporting shafts 62 are mounted integrally with the short rolls 58 and 66 and the opposite ends of the shafts 62 are supported respectively in suitable journal or anti-friction bearings 12th and 122. Also, mounted rotatably upon the inner end of each of the shafts 62 is a bearing sleeve 124, for purposes now to be described.

When it is desired to condition the reeling machine for either reception of a reel or discharge of a reel therefrom, it only is necessary, in accordance with the principles of the invention, to move the roll means 56 from the transverse or operative position thereof as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, to an unobstructing position such as the exemplary vertical position of roll 66 which is shown in exemplary manner in broken lines in FIG. 3. Such movement of these short rolls 58 and 61), comprising roll means 56, to such unobstructing position is accomplished automatically by simple but sturdy means comprising curved bars 126 which have cam surfaces appropriately shaped between the ends thereof which are fixed to frame channels 22 and 24 suitably, such as by welding. When the carrier slides 64 are moved toward the outer, upper ends of the sloping channels 22 and 24- of the side frame means, and after the rolls 58 and 60 have disengaged the perimeter of the side flanges of a reel, the bearing sleeves 124 on the shafts 62 will engage the irregular cam configuration of the curved bars 126 and cause the rolls 58 and 61) to be moved to unobstructing, substantially vertical positions. Then, the outer end of the frame It is open.

The reel, having been gently deposited upon the floor through separative movement of roll means 56 from roll means 32, now may be rolled readily along said flat floor surf-ace through the open end of the frame by the requirement of only a minimum amount of manual effort and no jarring or jolting of the floor takes place. If desired to brace the outer ends of the side frame means against accidental separation or movement toward each other, and primarily .as precaution rather than a requirement, the present invention contemplates the use of a flat and relatively thin transverse bracing sheet or platel-ike strip .128. The opposite edges of the same may b beveled or chamfered if desired, and the opposite ends of said bracing sheet are secured by any suitable means, such as welding, to the side frame members 12 and 14. To assure that such bracing sheet will provide no appreciable obstruction to the free rolling of the reel 30 however, it is contemplated that, for example, such bracing sheet may be steel of the order of 10 thickness gage or the like, and the same will rest directly upon the floor surface. Thus, it will sustain no noticeable bending or mis-shaping effects as a result of the reels rolling thereover.

Another embodiment of idler roll construction is illustrated in the drawings in FIGS. 6 through 10. In this embodiment, the base frame, as well as the drive means including the driving roll 32, are the same as that in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5. Accordingly, such details are not illustrated in FIGS. 6 through 10 but it will be understood that these same driving means and other characteristics in the left-hand end of the frame of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, for example, are included in the left-hand end of the frame of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 through 10 even though such left-hand end is not illustrated but only the right-hand end of the frame and its associated elements in said second embodiment are illustrated in FIGS. 6 through 10.

In this second embodiment, the sloping upper channels 22 and 24 of the frame have elongated racks 130 fixed thereto. Extending between the side frame means and especially the sloping channels 22 and 24 is a single elongated idler roll 132, the opposite ends of which respectively are adjacent said sloping channels 22 and 24 as clearly shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The idler roll 132, basically, may be of the same general type as that of the short idler rolls 53 and 60 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 5. However, roll 132 is substantially longer than said short rolls but nevertheless preferably has, adjacent one end thereof, axial movement restraining means 134 which is similar in construction and function to the restraining means 100 shown particularly in FIG. 2 of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5. In FIG. 6, only fragmentary portions of the side flanges of the exemplary reel 30 are shown and it will be seen that one of these is disposed within the annular groove in the restraining means 134 for purposes of preventing the reel from moving in an axial direction while being rotated for either reeling flexible material onto the reel or unreeling it therefrom.

The idler roll 132, preferably, is mounted by means of appropriate bearings 136 at opposite ends thereof upon a transverse shaft 138 which at its opposite ends, extends beyond the side frame means and particularly the sloping channels 22 and 24 as is clearly shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Fixed to the opposite end portions of shaft 138 are a pair of pinion gears 140 which respectively mesh with the elongated racks 130. Accordingly, rotation of the shaft 138 by any appropriate means of either a powered or manual nature, of which hand crank 142 is merely one typical example, will move gears 130 in unison and thus serve to move the idler roll 132 toward and from the driving roll 32 for purposes of either elevating the reel 30 into reeling position, as when it is out of contact with the floor, or to lower the same onto the floor as when the reel is to be removed from the machine. The exemplary actuating means comprising hand crank 142 will be understood to be non-rotatably connected to one end of shaft 138 and any appropriate latching means, not shown, will be used to hold the idler roll 132 in a selected operative position relative to the driving roll 32.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 6 through 10 employs an auxiliary front end frame 144. Such auxiliary frame comprises a pair of short side channels 146 which, in effect, are continuations of the outer, upper ends of sloping channels 22 and 24 of the main frame 10. Aflixed to the upper surfaces thereof are short rack sections 148 which, likewise, are continuations of the racks 130 on the main frame. The lower portion of the auxiliary frame 144 comprises a pair of short side frame members 150, the outer ends of which are connected by a cross-frame member 152. The inner ends of the side channels 146 and frame members 150 are connected to a vertical frame channel 154, while the outer ends of the side channels 146 and members 150 are connected by additional vertical frame channels 156.

The auxiliary front end frame 144 is connected movably to the main frame 10 by any suitable means such as a pair of hinges 158 which are disposed at one side of the machine, and appropriate latches 169 are arranged at the opposite side of the machine, the same being pivoted, for example, to the vertical frame member 154 of the auxiliary frame 144 and said latch engaging a pin 162, for example, projecting from the vertical frame member 28 of the main frame 10. Latch retaining means such as a suitable retaining pin 164 may be inserted into an appropriate hole above latch 160 to maintain the same locked against accidental jarring and any flexible means 166 may be used to keep the retaining pin 164 connected to the machine so as not to be lost.

Inasmuch as the auxiliary front end frame is quite sturdy and therefore of substantial weight, it is preferred that the side thereof which is latched to the main frame shall be provided with any suitable friction-reducing and weight-sustaining means such as a conventional caster 168, the same also facilitating the movement of the auxiliary frame to and from the operative position shown in full lines in FIG. 6 and the inoperative position being shown in dotted lines therein. It readily can be appreciated that when the idler roll 132 is moved to its uppermost position in the machine which will be the position in which it is farthest removed from the drive roll 32, the pinion gears 140 will be disposed in the short rack sections 148, whereby the idler roll 132 will be supported by the auxiliary frame 144.

Upon disengaging the latch 160 from the latch pin 162, the side of the auxiliary frame 144 which carries the latch than may be moved about the axes of hinges 158 until the auxiliary frame and the idler roll 132 are disposed in the broken line position thereof shown in FIG. 6. This establishes the front end of the reeling machine in open condition, whereupon a reel 30 or 30', which merely are two different exemplary diameters of any diameter of reel of which the machine is capable of handling, may be rolled over the flat floor surface into the machine or removed from the machine through said open outer end of the frame thereof, while only requiring a minimum amount of manual effort to roll the wheel over the smooth flat floor surface. It thus will be seen that the present invention contemplates several embodiments of idler roll constructions as well as several corresponding arrangements for supporting the same upon the frame of the machine.

Appropriate means also are provided to insure pinion gears 148 being maintained in engagement with the racks and rack extension sections 148, especially when moving idler roll 132 toward driving roll 32. Referring to FIGS. 6 through 8 especially, it will be seen that plates 180 are provided adjacent the inner surfaces of side channels 22, as best seen in FIG. 6. The plates have L-shaped or hook-like retaining members 182 extending above the same and the horizontal upper portions of members 182 are arranged slidably to extend above shaft 138 for roll 132, thereby to prevent upward movement of pinion gears 14% from the racks with which they engage. As the roll 132 is moved rotatably toward driving roll 32, and the shaft 138 passes under the upper portions of members 182, the ends of shaft 138 will abut the vertical portions of members 182 and continued movement pushes members 182 and plates 180 toward the left as viewed in FIGS. 6 and 8.

To guide plates 180, longitudinal slots 134 are formed in the webs of side channels 22 and pairs of guide bolts and wing nuts 186 extend through holes in plates 180 and lots 184 to maintain the movement of members 182 parallel to side channels 22. At the completion of such movement, as when reel 36 is elevated from engagement with the floor, the wing nuts may be tightened to maintain such operative position of roll 132. When reel 30 is to be lowered to the floor, the roll 13?. may be backed off toward the opposite end of the frame and the wing nuts of bolts 186 are loosened to permit the sliding of plates 180 and members 182 in a direction to follow shaft 138 of roll 132 so as to be in position for the next operative movement of roll 132 toward driving roll 32.

In FIG. 12, there is illustrated still another embodiment of drive means by which the drive shafts 70 of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 5 may be rotated. Such additional embodiment of drive means comprises a fluid operated motor 170, it being understood that one of such motors will be mounted upon each of the sloping channels 22 and 24 at opposite sides of the frame of the machine and suitably supplied by driving fiuid, either gaseous or liquid, through appropriate feed and exhaust conduits 172 and 174, leading to and from any desired source of fluid, particularly if the same is liquid. If a gas is employed, the gas may be discharged to atmosphere, if desired. The motors have a rotatable drive shaft 176 which is connected to an appropriate socket 178, the same being keyed or otherwise secured against rotation relative to one end of the drive shaft 70 which extends along each of the sloping channels 22 and 24. The motors 170 preferably are of the reversible type, the direction of rotation of the drive shafts 176 thereof being controlled by any suitable control valve, not shown.

While the invention has been described and illustrated in its several preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the precise details herein illustrated and described since the same may be carried out in other ways falling Within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A reeling machine for handling relatively large or heavy reels for cable and the like and comprising in combination, a base frame positionable upon a floor surface for support and comprising side frame means spaced transversely apart to receive a reel therebetween by rolling action upon a supporting floor surface, first roll means extending transversely relative to said side frame means for rotation about an axis extending between and adjacent one end of said frame means, second roll means parallel to said first roll means and extending transversely relative to said side frame means between said first roll means and the opposite end of said side frame means, means to move one of said roll means toward and from the other to effect raising and lowering of a reel relative to said floor surface when said reel is positioned between said roll means, and means to drive one of said roll means rotatably to effect rotation of a reel when supported between said roll means, one of said roll means being movable from said operative position transversely between said side frame means to a non-obstructing position wherein it does not extend transversely between said side frame means and thereby provides clearance to permit the positioning of a reel within said frame by rolling the same upon said supporting floor surface into operative engagement with the other roll means.

2. A reeling machine for handling relatively large or heavy reels for cable and the like and comprising in combination, a base frame positionable upon a floor surface for support and comprising side frame means spaced transversely apart to receive a reel therebetween by rolling action upon a supporting floor surface, first roll means extending transversely relative to said side frame means for rotation about an axis extending between and adjacent one end of said frame means, second roll means parallel to said first roll means and extending transversely relative to said side frame means between said first roll means and the opposite end of said side frame means, means to move one of said roll means toward and from the other to effect raising and lowering of a reel relative to said floor surface when said reel is positioned between said roll means, and means to drive one of said roll means rotatably to effect rotation of a reel when supported between said roll means, means pivotally supported by said frame means and supporting one of said roll means for movement from its operative transversely extending position relative to said side frame means to a non-obstructing position relative to the space between said side frame means and thereby permit the positioning of a reel within said frame between said side frame means by rolling the same upon said supporting floor surface into engagement with the other roll means.

3. The reeling machine set forth in claim 2 further characterized by said one of said roll means which is movable from its operative position being of unitary length and extending substantially continuously across said frame between said side frame means thereof when positioned operatively to engage a reel.

4. The reeling machine set forth in claim 2 further characterized by said one of said roll means which is movable from its operative position comprising a pair of rolls supported respectively at one end adjacent the side frame means and substantially coaxial in operative position but being pivotally movable out of coaxial position to inoperative non-obstructing position.

5. A reeling machine for handling relatively large or heavy reels for cable and the like and comprising in combination, a base frame positionable upon a floor surface for support and comprising side frame means spaced transversely apart to receive a reel therebetween by rolling action upon a supporting floor surface, one end of said base frame being open and the other being closed, first roll means extending transversely relative to said side frame means for rotation about an axis extending between and adjacent the closed end of said frame means, second roll means parallel to said first roll means and extending transversely relative to said side frame means between said first roll means and the open end of said frame means, guide means extending along said side frame means from said closed end toward the open end of the frame and supporting said second roll means for movement toward and from the first roll means to effect raising and lowering of a reel relative to said floor surface when said reel is positioned within said frame means between said roll means, means to drive one of said roll means rotatably to effect rotation of a reel when supported by said roll means in spaced relation to the floor surface, and means supporting one of said roll means for movement from its operative position transversely between said side frame means to a non-obstructing position wherein said roll means do not extend transversely between said frame means and thereby provides clearance to permit the positioning of a reel Within said frame by rolling the same upon said supporting floor surface through the open end of said frame and into engagement with the other roll means.

6. The reeling machine set forth in claim 5 further characterized by said guide means inclined upward and away from the closed end of said frame toward the open end thereof, said second roll means comprising a pair of rolls extending coaxially toward each other from said side frame means, and supporting heads slidable along said guide means on said side frame means and respectively supporting said pair of rolls for simultaneous movement toward and from said first roll means.

7. The reeling machine set forth in claim 5 further characterized by said second roll means comprising a single roll movably positioned between said guide means, and means on said frame pivotally connected to said frame relative to one side thereof and operable to sup port said second roll means for movement out of said transverse operative position thereof adjacent the open end of said frame to present a clear path through said open end of said frame into said machine to receive a reel between the side frame means thereof.

8. A reeling machine for handling relatively large or heavy reels for cable, wire rope and the like and comprising in combination, a substantially U-shaped base frame positionable upon a floor surface for support and having an open forward end to receive a reel between the sides of said base frame by rolling the reel upon such floor surface without obstruction by said frame, first-roll means extending between and rotatably supported by the sides of said base frame adjacent the closed end of said frame, second roll means extending transversely inward from the sides of said frame and supported by said sides of said base frame between said first roll means and said forward open end of said frame for rotation about an axis parallel to said first roll means, means to move said second roll means toward and from said first roll means to effect engagement of the periphery of the sides of a reel at opposite sides of the axis thereof by said first and second roll means to raise and lower said reel relative to said floor surface, means to support said second roll means for movement relative to said frame from a position wherein said roll means extend between said sides of said frame to a position wherein said roll means offer no transverse obstruction between the sides of said frame, and means connected to one of said roll means to drive the same rotatably while the other roll means comprises idler roll means.

9. A reeling machine for handling relatively large or heavy reels for cable, Wire rope and the like and comprising in combination, a substantially U-shaped base frame positionable upon a floor surface for support and having an open forward end to receive a reel between the sides of said base frame by rolling the reel upon such floor surface without obstruction by said frame, first-roll means extending between and rotatably supported by the sides of said base frame adjacent the closed end of said frame, second roll means extending transversely inward from the sides of said frame and supported by said sides of said base frame between said first roll means and said forward open end of said frame for rotation about an axis parallel to said first roll means, means to move said second roll means toward and from said first roll means to effect engagement of the periphery of the sides of a reel at opposite sides of the axis thereof by said first and second roll means to raise and lower said reel relative to said floor surface, means for pivotally supporting said second roll means for movement relative to said frame to and from a position wherein said roll means does not extend appreciably in a transverse direction relative to the sides of said frame, and means connected to one of said roll 1 1 means to drive the same rotatably while the other roll means comprises idler roll means.

19. The reeling machine set forth in claim 9 further characterized by said second roll means comprising a pair of rolls supported respectively at one end adjacent the opposite sides of said base frame and said rolls being substantially coaxial in operative position but being individually pivotally movable out of coaxial position to inoperative non-obstructing position.

11. The reeling machine set forth in claim 9 further 10 characterized by said second roll means comprising a single roll extending across said frame between the opdisposed in non-obstructing position so as to permit rolling a reel between the sides of said frame.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,904,273 9/59 Turner et al. 242-54 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A REELING MACHINE FOR HANDLING RELATIVE LARGE OR HEAVY REELS FOR CABLE AND THE LIKE AND COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A BASE FRAME POSITIONABLE UPON A FLOOR SURFACE FOR SUPPORT AND COMPRISING SIDE FRAME MEANS SPACED TRANSVERSELY APART TO RECEIVE A REEL THEREBETWEEN BY ROLLING ACTION UPON A SUPPORTING FLOOR SURFACE, FIRST ROLL MEANS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY RELATIVE TO SAID SIDE FRAME MEANS FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS EXTENDING BETWEEN AND ADJACENT ONE END OF SAID FRAME MEANS, SECOND ROLL MEANS PARALLEL TO SAID FIRST ROLL MEANS AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY RELATIVE TO SAID SIDE FRAME MEANS BETWEEN SAID FIRST ROLL MEANS AND THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID SIDE FRAME MEANS MEANS TO MOVE ONE OF SAID ROLL MEANS TOWARD AND FROM THE OTHER TO EFFECT RAISING AND LOWERING OF A REEL RELATIVE TO SAID FLOOR SURFACE WHEN SAID REEL IS POSITIONED BETWEN SAID ROLL MEANS, AND MEANS TO DRIVE ONE OF SAID ROLL MEANS 